Gabe Powers understood he was unlikely to make an immediate impact for Ohio State last year.

And he didn’t.

The linebacker from Marysville participated in only five plays, all on kickoff coverage, as a freshman in 2022, according to Pro Football Focus.

That’s no surprise. The Buckeyes had a glut of linebackers, with veterans backing up starters Tommy Eichenberg and Steele Chambers in Jim Knowles’ two-linebacker scheme.

Still, it was an adjustment for Powers, a top-50 recruit nationally and Ohio’s Gatorade High School Player of the Year in 2021.

“It was different,” Powers said. “In high school, you were kind of the main dude out there.”

Powers wasn’t complaining. He was able to learn behind Eichenberg, who blossomed into an All-American.

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“Watching him has really improved my game,” Powers said.

Eichenberg and Chambers are back this year, as is Cody Simon, so Powers faces an uphill battle for significant playing time on defense this fall. But he said he is far more ready than he would have been a year ago.

The 6-foot-4 Powers has added 10 pounds since he enrolled last January and now weighs 235. There's an even bigger change, though.

“From Year 1 to Year 2, my confidence is a lot higher,” he said.

That’s a product of his behind-the-scenes work.

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“People see what you do on Saturdays, but a lot of people don't see the work that you have to put in – the mental side of the game,” Powers said. “This game (in college) is more mental than it is physical. You’ve got to know everything that you're doing. I don't care how talented you are, you’re not going to be good if you don’t know what you’re doing.”

Powers comes from a football family. His dad, Mike, won a national championship at the University of Findlay and has coached Gabe and his brothers.

“He told me you’ve got to go to work for everything you earn,” Powers said. “You aren’t promised anything when you get here.”

This spring, Powers will get his chance for extended reps. Eichenberg is not participating as he recovers from hand fractures.

The Buckeyes have had only two spring practices, but Chambers said Powers, fellow sophomore C.J. Hicks and redshirt sophomore Reid Carrico are already impressing.

“Everyone in that room is athletic, strong, and smart – just students of the game,” Chambers said. “Now they get more reps, more opportunities to go out there and showcase what they've got.”

Powers also is benefiting from the addition of grad assistant James Laurinaitis, the three-time OSU All-American linebacker.

While Powers is too young to remember Laurinaitis as a Buckeye, he has watched video of him and was thrilled when he arrived.

“He knows obviously so much about the game,” Powers said. “Just from this one practice, we talked about outside zones and how to take on blocks and footwork. He’s helped us so much just in the little time he’s been here.”

In this era of instant transferring, Powers could probably find a surer path to immediate playing time somewhere else. He said that’s not on his mind.

“I’m just focusing right now on getting better and see how the spring goes,” he said. “I’m working on learning everything I can from the guys in front of me and coach Laurinaitis and learning the defense.”

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This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Linebacker Gabe Powers working for enhanced role for Ohio State